164 
SCENES IN INDIA. 
were several times repeated ; and so skilfully were they 
managed^ that, although any of us who chose were 
allowed to upset the vessel when full, which I did 
many times, upon reversing it there was no water to 
be seen, and yet no appearance of any having escaped. 
I examined the jar carefully when empty, but de- 
tected nothing which could lead to a discovery of the 
mystery. I was allowed to retain and fill it myself, 
still, upon taking it up, all was void within ; yet the 
ground around it was perfectly dry, so that how the 
water had disappeared, and where it had been con- 
veyed, were problems which none of us were able to 
expound. The vessel employed by the juggler upon 
this occasion was the common earthenware of the 
country, very roughly made ; and in order to con- 
vince us that it had not been especially constructed 
for the purpose of aiding his clever deceptions, he per- 
mitted it to be broken in our presence : the fragments 
were then handed round for the inspection of his High- 
ness and the party present with him. 
The next thing done was still more extraordinary. 
A large basket was produced, under which was put a 
lean, hungry Pariah bitch ; after the lapse of about a 
minute, the basket was removed, and she appeared 
with a litter of seven puppies. These were again 
covered, and upon raising the magic basket a goat was 
presented to our view; this was succeeded by a pig in 
the full vigour of existence, but which, after being 
covered for the usual time, appeared with its throat 
cut ; it was, however, shortly restored to life under 
the mystical shade of the wicker covering. What ren- 
dered these sudden changes so extraordinary was, that 
